Our strategy
Our vision, mission and strategic priorities as a world-leading UK research and development facility.
Richard Oldfield, CEO
"We are industry's research and development partner. When companies need to make things lighter, stronger, smarter and more sustainable they come to the NCC. With access to 'beyond' state-of-the-art technology and the best composites engineering capabilities in the world, we help our customers solve the most complex engineering challenges of our time."
Our Story
The National Composites Centre was created as the UK’s Centre of Excellence for Composites Research and Development following the inclusion of this disruptive technology into government industrial strategy. Our task: to be recognised as a world leader in composite technology, accelerating the development and uptake of digital technologies for sustainable composites and growing the market for composites by driving innovation through collaboration and partnerships.
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Governance
Information on our Governance arrangements as a subsidiary of the University of Bristol.
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Meet the team
The NCC leadership team has extensive engineering and commercial experience across industry sectors.
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Membership at the NCC
An NCC membership gives you access to 'beyond' state-of-the-art technology and the best composites engineering capabilities in the world, as well as expert advice from specialist engineers.
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Academic reach
The NCC works proactively with universities across the UK and overseas in a number of ways to pull through fundamental research to industrial applications.
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Cross-Catapult programmes
We work closely with partners across the High Value Manufacturing Catapult and wider UK Catapult Network on collaborative projects.
Why choose composites?
Composites enable our everyday lives – in transport, energy, healthcare, defence, communications and leisure. Lightweight, strong, durable and adaptable, the unique properties of composites help us to design and make better products with less waste that last longer, helping us to address urgent societal challenges of sustainability and net-zero.
Our networks
High Value Manufacturing Catapult
The NCC is proud to be one of seven centres that makes up the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, which is itself one of nine Catapults created as a key tool in Innovate UK’s range of innovation support for businesses. Each Catapult is focused on an area in which the UK has the potential to grow in strategically important global markets.
Composites Leadership Forum
The National Composites Centre is a pivotal member of the UK’s Composite Leadership Forum which works to influence the Government and other bodies to bring together support for composites and ensure growth and industrial success for the UK. It is chaired and led by industry.
Composites UK Trade Association
The NCC also is a board member of Composites UK Trade Association, fully supporting its mission to encourage continuous growth and development of the industry, promoting the best practice use of composites materials. We work closely to bring companies throughout the composites supply chain together, creating a unified voice to drive the industry forward to the benefit all of those involved.
Our Members
Our latest news
Case Study
News
News
News
News
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The NCC offers a new solution to enhance the circularity of manufacturing waste
11 Apr 2024NCC engineers have successfully demonstrated the potential to recycle up to 80% of carbon fibre material from the earliest stages of aerospace manufacturing as alternative feedstock. Find out more about recycling manufacturing waste using fibre patch placement. -
Space West Newsletter
28 Mar 2024Welcome to the March edition of our Space West Newsletter. With each newsletter, we aim to share the most recent discoveries, advancements, and stories from the world of Space in the South West. -
New CEAMS innovation centre for Rochdale represents “a BIG BANG for regional economic prosperity”
05 Mar 2024Plans for the new Centre of Expertise in Advanced Materials and Sustainability (CEAMS) is set to turbo charge the local economy and bring millions of pounds of investment to Rochdale and the wider region. CEAMS is led by a consortium of expert partners, including the National Composites Centre. -
NCC develops novel cryostat device and test method to advance UK capability for hydrogen
05 Mar 2024The NCC has developed a novel cryostat and test method that allows the screening of composite material performance at cryogenic temperatures in an ultra-fast and cost-effective way. The innovative device and accompanying test method provides a solution for screening a wide selection of materials, highlighting those most suitable for detailed material testing using conventional methods. -
JEC World Paris 2024
05 Mar 2024The National Composites Centre is exhibiting at JEC World 2024 - the global trade show for composite materials and their applications. Come find us at the UK pavilion led by Composites UK, in Hall 6, Stand S 62.
